Pat Van Den Hauwe: My Chat with 'Psycho'

Just over a year ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing ex-Everton and Wales fullback Pat Van Den Hauwe for Shoot Magazine.

Since Shoot's website re-launch last year, the interview was lost, so I thought I would share it on here;

Everton have possibly one of the best full-back pairings in English football in Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman. The impetus of the Toffees’ success in recent years has often stemmed from the dynamic duo, but they aren’t the only top full-backs to have graced Goodison Park wearing the royal blue.

Gary Naysmith, Andy Hinchcliffe, Ian Snodin and Gary Stevens are just some of the names held in high regard by Evertonians, yet there is one player who possibly sits on a pedestal just a little bit higher up.

Signed from a lower echelon of English football in 1984, Pat Van Den Hauwe arrived from Birmingham City as a relatively unknown player.

The 23-year-old defender was soon to be etched into Everton folklore, earning himself the affectionate nickname of ‘Psycho’ from the Goodison faithful as his hard tackling and determination endeared him to the fans exceptionally quickly.

Van Den Hauwe won two league titles and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in his five seasons on Merseyside.

The Belgium-born defender, who also appeared in three FA Cup finals for Everton, has now penned a self-titled autobiography ‘Pat Van Den Hauwe’, revealing some of his fascinating life experiences.

Shoot’s Elliott Cuff spoke with the Blues legend about some of the those.

When did you decide to write the book and how long did the process take to do so?

“Well, I started two years ago when I was in Liverpool, and it was just an off chance, with a guy called Andy Nichols who said to me, because he knows most of my stories in life, do I fancy writing a book? So I had to think about it quite hard, because some of the stuff – the content – is private, I don’t like revealing too much. But, as time went on, it was a good thing I did because I released a lot of things, things that were heavy in my heart.”

Who do you think was the best manager you played under play under, and why would you say that is the case?

“I think the best manager, with no disrespect to anybody else, was Howard [Kendall]. He never once, really, in my time at the club, raised his voice. He was such an easy going guy but I think he got it to the stage where most of the players, I’d say all, respected him very highly. He treated them with respect, and when you get that most players will go out and more or less die for the manager, the football club and the supporters.”

How long did it take you to settle in to life on Merseyside after you made the move from Birmingham?

“I suppose a few months. It was a little bit difficult to understand the Liverpudlians in the beginning. As I went from London to Birmingham that was a bit difficult as it was a bit slower but I could understand it, but going to Liverpool it was a lot faster. But getting to know the people, great people, after a year or so it was just a great place. I love Liverpool.”

How good did it feel for you to lift multiple trophies in your debut season, having come from a lower division?

“For me it was a young man’s dream. It just became a reality because Birmingham, as you say, were up and down.

They were in the First Division one season and then down, up and down; this constant battle. It was a big change; I thought over a few months I adapted to the First Division. To win the championship, and the Cup Winners’ Cup; to be fair I worked so hard to try and achieve just one of them. Whether it was the cup or the league, I would have been happy with one of them, because of all the hard work I put in. To win two trophies, and although we lost in the FA Cup, was a young man’s dream come true, and that’s all I ever wanted in life. I set a target, I achieved it. So it was rewarding for me.”

You mention in your book how a bar brawl kept you out for most of the title winning season in 1986-1987. Do you regret that incident?

“Basically, certain things happen in life and you just get on with it. I just lived my life to fullest, I enjoyed it. I did some things right and some things wrong; we all do that in life. I made a mistake, I’ve learnt from it and that’s it really.”

You were given the nickname Psycho by fans. Would you say it’s a fair representation of yourself?

“It’s not a fair representation of myself because I’m far from a psycho. I’m more humble, but it was humbling that the Evertonians took to me and gave me such a nickname. I did not try to live up to that nickname because then I would have been sent off and going berserk everywhere. So I just played the game to the best of my ability, and tried to do a job for Howard, for the supporters, for Everton Football Club and my team-mates.”

Do you keep track of Everton much these days?

“To be honest, I’ve just come out of a divorce, my third one now, for the last nine months. To tell you the truth, I gave her everything, and I haven’t seen any football. I’ve not really seen any games. Honestly, I’ve not even got a T.V, so I’ve only heard through the grapevine that they’re having a bit of a tough season.”

Pat Van Den Hauwe’s autobiography is available to buy online or from all good book stores, and for all Evertonians, I strongly recommend it.